My, Oh My, It’s Apple Rustic Pie

If you are willing to spend a very long time sitting at the computer looking for a recipe, do a search for “apple pie recipes” and get ready for the long haul. We found more than 400,000 entries and that doesn’t count apple pie cookbooks. It’s enough to make you want to lie down with a cold cloth over your head

If you are willing to spend a very long time sitting at the computer looking for a recipe, do a search for “apple pie recipes” and get ready for the long haul. We found more than 400,000 entries and that doesn’t count apple pie cookbooks. It’s enough to make you want to lie down with a cold cloth over your head.

To save you the job of clicking and scrolling, we’ve found the perfect pie. It has four pounds of tart apples, more than any pie we saw on the web. And to accommodate all that fruit, it’s baked in a springform pan instead of a pie plate. Also, if making a fluted crust is more than your fingers can manage, you’ll be glad to know the bottom pastry is flipped over the top, giving it a rustic look.

RUSTIC APPLE PIE

Crust

2 ½cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

¾ cup vegetable shortening

6 to 7 tablespoons ice water

Filling :

4 pounds tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored and sliced

½ cup all-purpose flour

1½ cups sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

3 Tbs. butter, cut into small pieces

Cinnamon-sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F.

To prepare crust, mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir gently and gather into two balls, one about twice as large as the other.

Roll out larger ball on a lightly floured surface until it is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan, with about 2 inches of overhang. Roll smaller dough ball into a 9-inch circle.

To prepare filling, combine apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt; toss well. Spoon into prepared crust. Sprinkle pieces of butter on top. Place top crust over filling. Fold overhang evenly around top crust. Cut 10 to 12 slits in top crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar if desired. Bake about 1 hour or until crust is deep golden and the filling oozes through the slits. Serves 12.

Want more tips?

Get some great recipes, expert cooking tips and more, at The Relish Cooking Show taking place from 7 to 9:15 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Union Road Church of God, 2315 Union Road, Gastonia. The two-hour interactive cooking show, presented by The Gazette , will be preceded by a consumer expo from 4:30 to 7 p.m. that will feature plenty of shopping, local and regional vendors, door prizes, goodie bags and entertainment. The show will be led by Chef Steven Petusevsky, author of “The Whole Foods Market Cookbook” and who has also been featured in Cooking Light , Natural Health , Fine Cooking , Food & Wine and Self .

Page 2 of 2 - General admission tickets are currently on sale for $10 and VIP ticket packages, which include a VIP gift bag and reception, a hometown recipes cookbook and reserved seating, are available for $30. General admission tickets will be $15 at the door, while VIP tickets will be $35 after today.

Tickets are available at The Gazette , 1893 Remount Road, Gastonia, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and online at www.gastongazette.ticketleap.com/the-relish-cooking-show.